Concept Mapping: an
effective way to organize information

Concept mapping helps
represent the available information visually in a comprehensive and clear
manner. This is an easy way to gather and communicate information.

The importance of organizing
information

In the information-based society, the ability to handle
complex information is extremely important. To analyze the current state in the
project progress, plan future activities or discover problem solutions, you
need to arrange the available information properly. Explicit knowledge
representation encourages creativity and helps integrate generated ideas and
viewpoints in the previous concept. This proves to be highly effective for
assisting and enhancing group brainstorming.

Using concept mapping

A particularly good method to organize information about
a specific subject or problem is concept mapping. Concept mapping arranges the
existing information in aform of a web diagram, or “concept map”. Typically, a
concept map consists of concepts enclosed in circles or boxes called nodes,
linked by lines or arrows that may be labeled and illustrate relationships
between concepts. The information structured in a concept map is more easily
accessible; it can be quickly understood and shared with others.

When starting to construct a concept map, it is important
to define one or more central, most inclusive concepts for a certain problem or
situation. This concept should be placed at the top of the map. More specific
concepts should be arranged in the hierarchical fashion below the key concept.

After the preliminary concept map is constructed, it
should be revised several times. The final concept map is normally a
comprehensive structure containing a number of principal and subordinate
concepts with explicit links showing in which way the concepts are related to
each other.

Concept map is an easy way to
handle complex information

You can use concept mapping to visualize information and
present it in the most comprehensible form. Properly organized information
helps easily understand and evaluate the existing knowledge and opens the way
for effective planning and research.

More about concept mapping

Articles about process mapping

Find two articles about process mapping. The
first is about "six code" methodic that based process mapping to
increase productivity. The second one is about improving note-taking with
concept maps.

Process mapping is one of the six core
techniques needed for in-house development

COMPUTERWORLD wrote:

Smart companies will adopt development practices that increase
their productivity and make in-house alternatives still more attractive, he
adds. Services CIO Michael H. Hugos says six core techniques -- he calls them
the "skills of the game" -- are crucial for successful in-house
development

Concept Maps abandon the list structure of conventional note-taking
completely in favour of a two dimensional structure. A good Concept Map shows
the 'shape' of the subject, the relative importance of information and ideas,
and the way that information relates to other information. Typically Concept
Maps are more compact than conventional notes, often taking up one side of
paper. This helps associations to be made easily. Information that is
acquired after the main Concept Map has been drawn can be easily integrated
with minimal disruption.
Read article: Improving Note Taking with Concept Maps